Removable cartridge and cap assembly for an air treatment appliance

ABSTRACT

An air treatment appliance is provided which includes an appliance housing and a removable cartridge received therein. The removable cartridge includes a receptacle containing a liquid compound to be aerosolized within an interior thereof and a cap assembly coupled to the receptacle. The cap assembly includes a cap, a venturi insert, and a base attached together without welds or separate fasteners to define an air inlet chamber on one side of the venturi insert, a venturi outlet passage on the other side of the venturi insert in fluid communication with the interior of the receptacle, and an aerosol outlet chamber partitioned from the interior of the receptacle by the base and in fluid communication with an outlet of the cap through which aerosolized compound generated by the venturi insert is discharged during operation.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to air treatment appliancesand, more specifically, to air treatment appliances including aremovable cartridge containing a liquid compound to be diffused oraerosolized and released into a space to be treated and componentsthereof, including a cap assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

Air treatment appliances in the past have had the ability to dispensescent compounds or other compounds throughout the atmosphere of desiredspaces but can suffer from various drawbacks or deficiencies. Forexample, some air treatment appliances and removable cartridges thereofmay be overly complex, costly and/or suffer from other deficiencies ordrawbacks, such as, for example, discharging diffused liquid with lessthan ideal characteristics, or the cartridges being susceptible toleakage, tampering, fouling and/or contamination.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The air treatment appliances and removable cartridges and othercomponents thereof shown and described herein provide efficient formfactors that are robust, efficient, and particularly effective attreating spaces with diffused or aerosolized compound from a liquidsource in a non-obtrusive manner.

At least one embodiment of an air treatment appliance may be summarizedas including: a removable cartridge containing a liquid compound to beaerosolized and including a cartridge outlet through which theaerosolized compound is discharged; a pump operatively coupled to theremovable cartridge to supply air to the removable cartridge to generatethe aerosolized compound from the liquid compound contained in theremovable cartridge; a controller operatively coupled to the pump forcontrolling the pump to supply the air to the removable cartridge togenerate the aerosolized compound and discharge the aerosolized compoundfrom the cartridge outlet; and an appliance housing that accommodatesthe removable cartridge, the pump and the controller within an internalcavity thereof.

The appliance housing may include a base, a cover coupled to the base todefine the internal cavity, and an inner sub-housing located within theinternal cavity. The inner sub-housing may be coupled to the base tocollectively define a passageway having an air outlet that is positionedto discharge a flow of air across a path of the aerosolized compounddischarged from the cartridge outlet during operation. The innersub-housing may include a discharge nozzle which defines a terminal endof the passageway and includes the air outlet, and the discharge nozzlemay be oriented to discharge the flow of air oblique to the path of theaerosolized compound discharged from the cartridge outlet. The innersub-housing may further include a tongue having an alignment groove forreceiving a stem of the removable cartridge which contains the cartridgeoutlet and for assisting in aligning the cartridge outlet and the pathof the aerosolized compound with the air outlet of the discharge nozzleof the inner sub-housing. The air treatment device may further include afan device positioned within a compartment of the appliance housingformed between the base and the inner sub-housing, the fan deviceincluding a fan intake and a fan outlet arranged to draw in air from thecompartment and move air through the passageway leading to the airoutlet that is positioned to discharge the flow of air across the pathof the aerosolized compound discharged from the cartridge outlet duringoperation. At least some functional electronics of the controller may belocated within the compartment of the appliance housing formed betweenthe base and the inner sub-housing, and the fan intake may be arrangedto draw in air from across said functional electronics of thecontroller.

The air treatment appliance may further include a power adapter unitcoupleable to a power outlet of a wall, and the base of the appliancehousing may define a power adapter cavity or alcove that is sized andshaped to accommodate the power adapter unit and to conceal the poweradapter unit when the air treatment appliance is fixed to the wall.

The air treatment appliance may further include a pump mount arrangementthat couples the pump to the appliance housing. The pump mountarrangement may include a pump bracket and a plurality of groupings ofisolators arranged in different planes to suppress vibrations of thepump in multiple directions. The pump bracket may suspend the pumpwithin a pump cavity located at a lower end of the appliance housing.The base and the cover of the appliance housing may collectively definea pump cavity to accommodate the pump, and the air treatment appliancemay further include a sound deadening or muffling device that ispositioned within the pump cavity to substantially fill a void betweenthe pump and the appliance housing. The sound deadening or mufflingdevice may comprise a compliant material formed in a shape thatcorresponds to the void between the pump and the appliance housing.

In some instances, the removable cartridge may include a base receptaclehaving one or more alignment indentations formed in a side thereof, andthe base of the appliance housing may include a back and opposingsidewalls with one or more corresponding alignment projections whichnest with the alignment indentations of the removable cartridge.

The air treatment appliance may further include a conduit assembly thatcouples an air outlet of the pump to an air inlet of the removablecartridge. The conduit assembly may include a conduit fitting and aconduit with one or more corrugated sections to facilitate routing ofthe conduit between the air outlet of the pump and the air inlet of theremovable cartridge. The conduit fitting may include a seal memberhaving a plurality of resilient projections at a terminal end thereoffor sealingly engaging the air inlet of the removable cartridge, a stemfor mating with a terminal end of the conduit, and a locking device forlocking the conduit fitting and the conduit to the removable cartridge.In some instances, a unitary single-piece conduit may be providedcomprising one or more corrugated sections to facilitate routing of theconduit between the air outlet of the pump and the air inlet of theremovable cartridge, a plurality of resilient projections at a terminalend thereof for sealingly engaging the air inlet of the removablecartridge, and a locking device for locking the conduit to the removablecartridge. The locking device may include a grip portion formanipulating the locking device and for assisting in installing theremovable cartridge in the appliance housing and removing the removablecartridge from the appliance housing.

The air treatment appliance may further include a supplemental powersource and a caddy for the supplemental power source for removablypositioning the supplemental power source within the appliance housing.The caddy may include finger grips projecting from an end thereof forassisting in removal of the supplemental power source from the appliancehousing.

The base of the appliance housing may include a back having anarrangement of mounting apertures for securing the appliance housing toa wall, or alternatively to an appliance stand. Upper and lower edges ofthe back and a peripheral edge of each of the opposing sidewalls of thebase of the appliance housing may include a plurality of indentations toreceive corresponding projections of the cover to join the base and thecover together without separate fasteners.

The appliance housing may further include a lock assembly coupled to thecover for locking the cover directly to one or more catch members formedintegrally with the base of the appliance housing. The lock assembly mayinclude a retaining ring having an upstanding tab to assist ininstallation and removal of the retaining ring from a correspondingshaft of the lock assembly which supports a rotatable latch for lockingthe cover to the base via the catch members. The cover may include aseparate sub-cover for concealing the lock assembly. The sub-cover maybe removably secured to the cover via an arrangement of integralcoupling members and a flexible lanyard.

Each of the cover and the base of the appliance housing may include arespective lanyard mount formed integrally therewith, and the airtreatment appliance may further include a lanyard connecting the coverto the base via the lanyard mounts.

At least one embodiment of a cartridge assembly for an air treatmentappliance may be summarized as including: a receptacle containing aliquid compound to be aerosolized within an interior thereof; and a capassembly coupled to the receptacle. The cap assembly may include a cap,a venturi insert, and a base attached together without welds or separatefasteners to define an air inlet chamber on one side of the venturiinsert, a venturi outlet passage on the other side of the venturi insertin fluid communication with the interior of the receptacle, and anaerosol outlet chamber partitioned from the interior of the receptacleby the base and in fluid communication with an outlet of the cap throughwhich aerosolized compound generated by the venturi insert is dischargedduring operation.

The cap may include a plurality of columnar projections and the base mayinclude a corresponding plurality of apertures to mate with the columnarprojections of the cap to attach the base to the cap and secure theventuri insert therebetween. Each columnar projection may comprise apolygonal shaped cross-section and may taper with increasing distanceaway from a proximal end of the columnar projection. The base at eachcorresponding aperture may comprise a cylindrical profile thatinterfaces with each respective columnar projection at a plurality ofdiscrete areas of contact to securely attach the base to the cap. Thebase may include a perimeter having at least a portion that iscorrespondingly shaped to an interior profile of the cap such that atleast a portion of a peripheral edge of the base assists in holding thebase in position within the cap via a friction or interference fit. Thebase may be wedged in the cap to prevent separation of the base from thecap and to maintain the venturi insert in position between the cap andthe base. A mouth of the receptacle may also prevent the base fromseparating from the cap. The cap may be fixedly coupled to thereceptacle to prevent non-destructive disassembly of the cartridge. Thecap may include a seal integrally formed therewith and may be fixedlycoupled to the receptacle with the seal engaging a mouth of thereceptacle. The base may include a chimney to allow the aerosolizedcompound to move from the interior of the receptacle to the aerosoloutlet chamber and may include a drain aperture to allow a condensedportion of the aerosolized compound to drain out of the cap through thebase into the receptacle to be aerosolized again. The base may mate withthe cap to define a circumferential ledge which underlies a peripheraledge region of the venturi insert. The cap may include a plurality ofoutlet nozzles for discharging the aerosolized compound from one or moreof multiple outlets. At least one of the plurality of outlet nozzles mayinclude a barrier integrally formed in the cap which isolates an outletpassage of the outlet nozzle from the aerosol outlet chamber untilremoved. The cap may include an internal partition defining a venturireceptacle that is sized and shaped to insertably receive the venturiinsert. The internal partition may also define at least a portion of theair inlet chamber and at least a portion of the aerosol outlet chamber.The cap may include a lock feature formed integrally therewith forlocking an air conduit to the cap for receiving a flow of air forgenerating the aerosolized compound. The venturi insert may include aconduit that extends through the base and into the receptacle forwithdrawing the liquid compound from the receptacle to be aerosolized bythe venturi insert.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an air treatment appliance attached to awall in a space, such as a public restroom, for treating the space witha scent compound or other compound diffused or aerosolized from aliquid.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the air treatment appliance attached to astand and resting on a table in a space, such as a residential livingspace or commercial workspace, for treating the space with a scentcompound or other compound diffused or aerosolized from a liquid.

FIG. 3 is a front isometric view of the air treatment appliance of FIGS.1 and 2 with a cover thereof removed to reveal internal components andfeatures of the air treatment appliance, including a removable cartridgethat is configured to generate and discharge a scent compound or othercompound diffused or aerosolized from a liquid when air is forced tomove therethrough.

FIG. 4 is an isometric exploded view of the removable cartridge shown inFIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the removable cartridge shown inFIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the removable cartridgeshown in FIG. 3 taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a partial isometric cross-sectional view of the removablecartridge of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is another partial isometric cross-sectional view of theremovable cartridge of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a rear isometric view of the air treatment appliance of FIGS.1 and 2 with a portion of a back of the appliance cut away to revealadditional internal components and features thereof.

FIG. 10 is another front isometric view of the air treatment applianceof FIGS. 1 and 2 with the cover and other components removed to revealyet further internal components and features of the air treatmentappliance.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a lock assembly of the air treatmentappliance taken from FIG. 3.

FIG. 12 is an isometric exploded view of the air treatment appliance ofFIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, certain specific details are set forth inorder to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosedembodiments. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognizethat embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specificdetails. In other instances, well-known devices, structures andtechniques associated with air treatment appliances (or liquid diffusiondevices), components thereof and related methods of diffusing oraerosolizing a compound from a liquid source may not be shown ordescribed in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of theembodiments. For example, embodiments of the air treatment appliancesand removable cartridges disclosed herein may include or incorporateaspects or features of known appliances and associated components andcontrol methods thereof. Examples of known air treatment appliances,components and aspects thereof and related methods are shown anddescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,712,683, 7,930,068 and 8,855,827, all ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification andclaims which follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as“comprises” and “comprising,” are to be construed in an open, inclusivesense, that is as “including, but not limited to.”

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristicdescribed in connection with the embodiment is included in at least oneembodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or“in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, theparticular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined inany suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singularforms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the contentclearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term “or”is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the contentclearly dictates otherwise.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present disclosure relatesgenerally to air treatment appliances 100 and more specifically to airtreatment appliances 100 including a removable cartridge 102 (FIG. 3)containing a liquid compound to be diffused or aerosolized and releasedinto a space 104, 106 to be treated (also referred to as liquiddiffusion devices or apparatuses), and to components thereof and relatedmethods of discharging a diffused or aerosolized compound into the space104, 106 from a liquid source.

As shown in FIG. 1, the air treatment appliance 100 may be attached to awall 108 in a space 104, such as a public restroom, for treating thespace 104 with a scent compound or other compound diffused oraerosolized from a liquid source. As shown in FIG. 2, the air treatmentappliance 100 may be attached to a stand 110 to rest on a table 112 orother structure in a space 106, such as a residential living space orcommercial workspace, for treating the space 106 with a scent compoundor other compound diffused or aerosolized from a liquid source. For thispurpose, an outlet 114 is provided in the appliance 100 to permit adiffused or aerosolized compound generated from the liquid 120 (FIG. 3)within the cartridge 102 to be discharged into the environment or space104, 106 surrounding the appliance 100. With reference to FIG. 3, theremovable cartridge 102 within the appliance 100 is coupled to an outletof a source of pressurized air (e.g., pump assembly 122) to enablepressurized air to be selectively passed through the cartridge 102 asdescribed herein to diffuse or aerosolize the liquid 120 containedtherein.

Within the present disclosure, the terms atomize and diffuse are used intheir various forms interchangeably. They are intended to refer togenerally the same action, that being the dispersion of liquid into verysmall particle sizes (preferably but not limited to one micron or lessin size) and releasing the particles into the atmosphere of a generallyenclosed space. Discharging diffused liquid with particularly smallparticles helps ensure that the liquid to be dispersed remains airbornelong enough to effectively treat the space 104, 106.

One approach to providing small particle sizes is to incorporate adispersion or gas-liquid mixing location adjacent an expansion chamber.The mixed gas and liquid combination may contain particles of greaterthan desirable size. Allowing this mix to remain resident within theexpansion chamber prior to release into the treated space 104, 106 willallow larger particles to precipitate out of the mix. Structures thatthe gas and liquid mixture impinge upon may also assist in thecollection of these larger particles and leave only the desiredpredominantly smaller sized particles to be released. The expansionchamber may be maintained at a positive pressure with respect to theatmospheric pressure within the space 104, 106 to be treated, so thatthe gas and liquid mix will be injected from the appliance 100 into thespace 104, 106. Alternatively, the expansion chamber may generally bemaintained at the atmospheric pressure of the space 104, 106 to betreated with the flow of gas (e.g., air) through the chamber, providingthe impetus for movement of the gas and liquid mix from the device intothe space 104, 106 to be treated.

Within the context of this disclosure, diffusion or aerosolizing alsogenerally refers to a process or method of dispersing a liquid withoutdestroying the integrity of the liquid compound. While some degree ofreactivity between the gas (e.g., air) and the liquid may be desirable,diffusion generally does not change the nature of the liquid, unlikeheating or the application of electrical energy into the liquid todiffuse the liquid.

The air treatment appliances 100, removable cartridges 102 and othercomponents described herein may be used to provide or introduce apleasant or soothing scent (or some other type of liquid that may beused as an airborne treatment or compound) into the air space 104, 106of a room or other enclosed space. The particular liquid 120 to bedispensed by the diffusion device is contained within the removablecartridge 102. Other possible types of liquids that may be dispersed mayinclude decontamination agents, insecticides, insect repellents, andmany different types of liquids that may be desirably dispersed withinan enclosed space 104, 106. The present disclosure is not limited to aparticular type or nature of liquid 120 to be dispersed, but is intendedto encompass any desirable airborne liquid treatments that arepreferably dispersed within an enclosed space 104, 106 to be effective.The term enclosed space, as used herein, refers to any volume of spacewithin which the atmospheric turnover is sufficiently slow to permit thedispersed liquid to have its desired effect within the space. Largerspaces, such as concert halls, casinos, lobbies, etc., may have one ormore openings into the space and still have the desired characteristicsto permit treatment with a diffused liquid. Other spaces may bepreferably fully enclosed to permit treatment by the selected liquid. Inother cases, the liquid used for treatment may preferably be used in asealed space, for maximum effectiveness or for safety reasons. Withinthe scope of the present disclosure, it is not intended to limit thenature, size or configuration of the space to be treated except as maybe appropriate for the liquid used to treat the space and the nature oftreatment desired within the space.

With reference to FIG. 3, and according to the illustrated embodiment, acontroller 130 is provided and is configured to permit adjustment of thetiming and/or pressure level of the pressurized air generated by a pumpassembly 122 that is ultimately directed into and passes through thecartridge 102. In some instances, the operating pressure may berelatively low, such as, for example, less than about 2 psi gaugepressure or about 1.5 psi gauge pressure. Within the cartridge 102, thepressurized air is directed to atomize the liquid 120 contained thereinand to aid in the dispersion of the atomized liquid into the air spaceto be treated.

In some instances, it may be desirable to have an indirect route fromthe point of actual atomization of the liquid and an outlet 132 throughwhich a portion of the atomized particles exit from the cartridge 102and ultimately from the appliance 100. As will be described in greaterdetail elsewhere, embodiments of the removable cartridges 102 describedherein provide an atomization zone where liquid 120 from the cartridge102 and pressurized air meet and are mixed. In addition, the cartridges102 may also provide an expansion chamber or chambers within thecartridge 102 where the atomized liquid is retained until a portion ofthe atomized liquid is allowed to exit the cartridge 102 and the hostappliance 100. As described in greater detail elsewhere, the cartridges102 may combine storage of the liquid 120 to be diffused, an atomizationstructure to transform the liquid 120 into an airborne concentration, anexpansion chamber or chambers, and optionally a tortuous path or passagetowards the outlet 132 of the cartridge 102 and the outlet 114 of theappliance 100 (which may be one and the same).

With reference to FIGS. 1 through 3, one example embodiment of an airtreatment appliance 100 is illustrated and includes an appliance housing101 and a removable cartridge 102 accommodated therein. As previouslydiscussed, the appliance 100 is configured to treat a space 104, 106with a diffused or aerosolized compound generated by a flow of airmoving through the cartridge 102 which is entrained with liquidparticles from liquid 120 contained in the cartridge 102.

As shown in FIG. 3, the removable cartridge 102 may include a capassembly 138 and a receptacle 142 coupled together to define a fluidreceptacle having an internal cavity 144, which is partially filled withthe liquid 120 to be diffused. In some instances, the cap assembly 138and the receptacle 142 may be fixedly coupled together to preventnon-destructive disassembly of the removable cartridge 102, making iteffectively tamperproof. This may be desirable to prevent users fromrefilling and reusing a spent cartridge that may be ineffective or lesseffective in treating the space 104, 106 due to fouling or build-up ofresidue within the cartridge 102 from prior use.

As an example, and with reference now to FIGS. 4 through 8, the capassembly 138 and the receptacle 142 may be provided with interlockingstructures 146, 148 that snap or otherwise couple together in a mannerthat prevents non-destructive disassembly of the cartridge 102. A seal150, such as an o-ring seal or other seal, may be provided between a cap140 of the cap assembly 138 and a mouth 152 of the receptacle 142 nearthe interlocking structures 146, 148 to provide a liquid tight seal whenthe cartridge 102 is assembled. In some embodiments, the cap 140 mayinclude a seal 150 integrally formed therewith via an overmolding,multi-shot injection or other suitable process for engaging the mouth152 of the receptacle 142 when the cartridge 102 is assembled. In thismanner, the liquid 120 to be diffused may be prevented from leaking fromthe cartridge 102 at an interface between the cap 140 and the receptacle142. Upon depletion of the liquid 120, the cartridge 102 may be removedand replaced with a like cartridge 102 for continued treatment of theenvironment or space 104, 106 surrounding the appliance 100, and thedepleted cartridge 102 may be discarded as an intact unit or collectedfor refurbishment purposes.

With continued reference to FIGS. 4 through 8, an air inlet 154 may beprovided in the cap 140 to receive a flow of pressurized air from thepump assembly 122 (FIG. 3) during operation and the cartridge outlet 132may be provided in the cap 140 for discharging the diffused oraerosolized compound generated by the cartridge 102 during operation.According to the illustrated embodiment of the cartridge 102 shown inFIGS. 4 through 8, the internal components and structures thereofprovide, among other things, a flow path through the cartridge 102 fromthe air inlet 154 to the cartridge outlet 132, as represented by thearrows labeled 156 a-156 e in FIGS. 7 and 8. When installed in theappliance 100, the air inlet 154 is coupled to a source of pressurizedair (e.g., pump assembly 122) such that the air may be periodicallyforced through the cartridge 102 as generally represented by the arrowslabeled 156 a-156 e in FIGS. 7 and 8 to combine with the liquid 120(shown in FIG. 3) and to exit as a gas-liquid mixture comprisingparticularly small liquid particles carried by the air, referred togenerally herein as a diffused or aerosolized compound, or simply anaerosol or diffused liquid.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the pressurized gas enters the cartridge 102through the air inlet 154 at a side of the cap 140 and then flows intoair inlet chamber 158 and through a venturi insert 160 provided withinthe cap 140, which includes a venturi body 162 and an associated venturiconduit 164 for drawing liquid 120 into the moving air stream, togenerate a gas-liquid mixture that is discharged into the internalcavity 144 of the receptacle 142 en route to an aerosol outlet chamber166 via a chimney structure 168 and ultimately to the cartridge outlet132. More particularly, the pressurized air enters the cartridge 102through the air inlet 154 at a side of the cap 140, as represented bythe arrow labeled 156 a in FIG. 7, and then moves into air inlet chamber158 and through the venturi insert 160, as represented by the arrowlabeled 156 b in FIG. 7. As the air flows through the venturi insert160, liquid 120 from the receptacle 142 is drawn into the air stream viathe venturi conduit 164 and venturi body 162 to create a gas-liquidmixture comprising atomized liquid (also referred to herein as diffusedor aerosolized compound) that is then discharged into the internalcavity 144 of the receptacle 142 above the remaining liquid 120, asrepresented by the arrow labeled 156 c in FIG. 7. The diffused oraerosolized compound is directed out of the venturi body 162 toward asurface of the remaining liquid 120 in the receptacle 142 and at leastsome of the diffused or aerosolized compound impacts and recombines withthe remaining fluid 120 in the receptacle 142 to be reintroduced intothe air stream by the venturi insert 160. Some of the diffused oraerosolized compound may also collect on the exposed interior surfacesof the receptacle 142, or otherwise precipitate out of the gas andatomized liquid, and rejoin the liquid 120 in the receptacle 142 to bereintroduced into the gas stream by the venturi insert 160. Some otherof the diffused or aerosolized compound may be driven or forced into theaerosol outlet chamber 166 through a chimney structure 168, asrepresented by the arrow labeled 156 d in FIG. 8. From there some of thediffused or aerosolized compound proceeds to exit the cartridge 102through the cartridge outlet 132, as represented by the arrow labeled156 e in FIG. 8. In making this journey, the liquid particle sizedistribution of the diffused or aerosolized compound may be refined suchthat only particularly fine particles are successfully discharged fromthe cartridge 102, with relatively larger particles collecting on one ormore surfaces of the internal structures and components of the cartridge102, or otherwise precipitating out of the gas, for rejoining with theremaining liquid 120 in the receptacle for reintroduction into the airstream that is forced through the venturi body 162 during operation. Forexample, some of the diffused or aerosolized compound residing in theaerosol outlet chamber 166 may collect on the exposed interior surfacesof the aerosol outlet chamber 166, or otherwise precipitate out of thegas and atomized liquid, and rejoin the liquid 120 in the receptacle 142through a drain aperture 170 which provides fluid communication betweenthe aerosol outlet chamber 166 and the internal cavity 144 of thereceptacle 142.

As shown in FIG. 7, the venturi body 162 may include a tube receivingpassage 165 to receive one end of the venturi conduit 164 and toposition an outlet of the venturi conduit 164 in fluid communicationwith a flow passage 163 of the venturi body 162 such that the liquid 120may be drawn into the path of the pressurized air as it is acceleratedvia the flow passage 163 of the venturi body 162. The flow passage 163of the venturi body 162 may comprise a convergent entrance, a narrowthroat, a side port for introduction of the liquid, and a divergentoutlet which are configured to accelerate the flow of air, draw in theliquid 120 through the side port and discharge the diffused mixture ofair and liquid into the internal cavity 144 of the receptacle 142. Thesize and shape of the flow passage 163 may be configured based oncharacteristics of the air flow, the geometry of an air supply conduit186 (FIG. 3) that provides the air flow, and the volume and velocity ofair required to effectively draw liquid 120 up the venturi conduit 164and atomize liquid 120 via the venturi body 162.

FIG. 4 provides an exploded view of the removable cartridge 102 foradditional clarity. Again, the removable cartridge 102 includes thereceptacle 142 for containing the liquid 120 to be aerosolized and thecap assembly 138 which is coupleable to the receptacle 142 to form thecartridge 102. The cap assembly 138 includes the cap 140, the venturiinsert 160 and a cap base 141 that attach together without welds orseparate fasteners to define, among other things, the air inlet chamber158 on one side of the venturi insert 160, as shown FIG. 7, a venturioutlet passage 159 passing through the cap base 141 on the other side ofthe venturi insert 160, as shown in FIG. 5, and the aerosol outletchamber 166 which is partitioned from the internal cavity 144 of thereceptacle 142 by the cap base 141 and in fluid communication with theoutlet 132 of the cap 140 through which the diffused or aerosolizedcompound generated by the venturi insert 160 is discharged duringoperation, as shown in FIG. 8.

With reference to FIG. 8, the cap 140 may include a plurality ofcolumnar projections 172 and the cap base 141 may include acorresponding plurality of apertures 174 (FIG. 4) to mate with thecolumnar projections 172 of the cap 140 to attach the cap base 141 tothe cap 140 and secure the venturi insert 160 therebetween. Eachcolumnar projection 172 of the cap 140 may have a polygonal shaped(e.g., hexagon, pentagon, etc.) cross-section and may taper withincreasing distance away from a proximal or root end of the columnarprojection 172. The cap base 141 at each corresponding aperture 174 mayhave a cylindrical profile that interfaces with each respective columnarprojection 172 at a plurality of discrete areas of contact to securelyattach the cap base 141 to the cap 140 without welds or separatefasteners. In some instances, the cap base 141 may include a perimeterhaving at least a portion that is correspondingly shaped to an interiorprofile of the cap 140 such that at least a portion of a peripheral edgeof the cap base 141 assists in holding the cap base 141 in positionwithin the cap 140 via a friction or interference fit. In someinstances, the cap base 141 may be wedged in the cap 140 to preventseparation of the cap base 141 from the cap 140 and to maintain theventuri insert 160 in position between the cap 140 and the cap base 141.In addition, as can be appreciated from FIGS. 7 and 8, the mouth 152 ofthe receptacle 142 may also prevent the cap base 141 from separatingfrom the cap 140 when the cap assembly 138 is attached to the receptacle142 to form the cartridge 102.

With reference now to FIG. 5, the cap 140 may include an internalpartition 175 that defines at least a portion of a venturi receptaclethat is sized and shaped to insertably receive the venturi insert 160.The internal partition 175 may also define at least a portion of the airinlet chamber 158 and at least a portion of the aerosol outlet chamber166. Furthermore, the cap base 141 may mate with internal partition 175of the cap 140 to provide a circumferential ledge 176 that underlies aperipheral edge region of the venturi body 162 of the venturi insert 160to retain the venturi insert 160 in position between the cap 140 and thecap base 141.

With reference again to FIGS. 7 and 8, the cap 140 may also be providedwith a plurality of outlet nozzles 178, 180 for discharging theaerosolized matter from one or more of corresponding outlets 132, 133 indifferent directions. At least one of the plurality of outlet nozzles178, 180 may include a barrier 182 integrally formed in the cap 140which isolates an outlet passage 184 of the outlet nozzle 180 from theaerosol outlet chamber 166 until the barrier 182 is removed. To use thealternate outlet 133, a user need only remove the barrier 182, such asvia drilling or another suitable process, and optionally plug the otheroutlet 132 or outlets when provided.

With reference to FIGS. 3 through 6, the cartridge 102 may include orotherwise operate in conjunction with an air supply conduit 186 thecouples an outlet of the pump assembly 122 to the air inlet 154 of thecap 140. The air supply conduit 186 may be provided as an assembly ofparts, or, in one particularly advantageous embodiment, a singleintegrally formed member as illustrated in the figures. The air supplyconduit 186 may include a tubular body 188 having an internal airpassage 190 extending therethrough. The tubular body 188 may have one ormore corrugated sections 191 to facilitate routing of the air supplyconduit 186 between the air outlet of the pump assembly 122 and the airinlet 154 of the cap 140. The air supply conduit 186 may furthercomprise a plurality of resilient projections 192 at a terminal endthereof for sealingly engaging the air inlet 154 of the cap 140. The airsupply conduit 186 may also include a locking device 194 for locking theair supply conduit 186 to the cap 140 via a corresponding lock feature196 formed integrally in the cap 140. For example, the locking device194 may comprise a tab which is insertable in a corresponding lockfeature 196 in the form of a lock cavity by rotating the locking device194 from an unlocked position to a locked position after coupling theair supply conduit 186 to the inlet 154 of the cap 140. The lockingdevice 194 may further include a grip portion 198 for manipulating thelocking device 194 and for assisting in installing the cartridge 102 inthe appliance housing 101 and removing the cartridge 102 from theappliance housing 101.

Further details of the air treatment appliance 100 and componentsthereof will now be described with reference to FIG. 3. As previouslydescribed, the air treatment appliance 100 includes a removablecartridge 102 containing a liquid 120 to be aerosolized and dischargedthrough a cartridge outlet 132, a pump assembly 122 operatively coupledto the removable cartridge 102 to supply air to the removable cartridge102 to generate the aerosolized compound from the liquid 120, acontroller 130 operatively coupled to the pump assembly 122 forcontrolling the pump assembly 122 to supply the air to the removablecartridge 102 to generate the aerosolized compound and discharge theaerosolized compound from the cartridge outlet 132, and an appliancehousing 101 that accommodates the removable cartridge 102, the pumpassembly 122 and the controller 132 within an internal cavity 200thereof. As shown in FIG. 3, the appliance housing 101 includes a base202, a cover 204 coupleable to the base 202 to define the internalcavity 200, and an inner sub-housing 206 located within the internalcavity 200.

Advantageously, and with reference to FIG. 9, the inner sub-housing 206may be coupled to the base 202 to collectively define at least a portionof a passageway 210 having an air outlet 212 that is positioned todischarge a flow of air across a path of the aerosolized compound thatis discharged from the cartridge outlet 132 during operation. The innersub-housing 206 may include a discharge nozzle 214 which defines aterminal end of the passageway 210 and includes the air outlet 212.According to the illustrated embodiment, the discharge nozzle 214 isoriented to discharge the flow of air oblique to the path of theaerosolized compound discharged from the cartridge outlet 132 (whichalso serves as the appliance outlet 114). In this manner, the dischargedflow of air from the air outlet 212 may assist in carrying the diffusedor aerosolized compound into the space to be treated, and furtherdispersing the compound for more effective treatment of the space.

With continued reference to FIG. 9, the inner sub-housing 206 mayfurther include a tongue 216 having an alignment groove 218 forreceiving the stem or nozzle 178 of the removable cartridge 102 whichcontains the cartridge outlet 132 and for assisting in aligning thecartridge outlet 132 and path of the aerosolized compound with the airoutlet 212 of the discharge nozzle 214 of the inner sub-housing 206. Inthis manner, the inner sub-housing 206 can assist in aligning thecartridge outlet 132 and the air outlet 212 of the discharge nozzle 214relative to each other and also with respect to corresponding apertures220, 222 that may be provided in the cover 204 for enabling theaerosolized compound and flow of air intersecting the same to bedischarged from the air treatment appliance 100.

With continued reference to FIG. 9, the air treatment appliance 100 mayfurther include a fan device 224 positioned within a compartment 226 ofthe appliance housing 101 that is formed between the base 202 and theinner sub-housing 206. The fan device 224 may include a fan intake 228and a fan outlet 229 arranged to draw in air from the compartment 226and move air through the passageway 210 leading to the air outlet 212that is positioned to discharge the flow of air across the path of theaerosolized compound discharged from the cartridge outlet 132 (FIG. 3)during operation. Moreover, at least some of the functional electronicsof the controller 130 may be located within the compartment 226 of theappliance housing 101 formed between the base 202 and the innersub-housing 206, and the fan intake 228 may be arranged to draw in airfrom across said functional electronics of the controller 130. In thismanner, the fan device 224 may assist in cooling functional electronicsof the controller 130 while also warming or heating the dischargedaerosolized compound, which may assist in effectively treating thespace.

With continued reference to FIG. 9, the air treatment appliance 100 mayfurther include a power unit 230 for connecting the appliance 100 to apower outlet of a wall to which the appliance 100 may be mounted. Forthis purpose, the base 202 of the appliance housing 101 may define apower adapter cavity 232 that is sized and shaped to accommodate thepower adapter unit 230 and to conceal the power adapter unit 230. Thebase 202 of the appliance housing 101 may include a back 203 andopposing sides 205 and the power adapter cavity 232 may be formeddirectly into the back 203 of the base 202 between the opposing sides205 to form an alcove for the power adapter unit 230.

With reference now to FIG. 10, the air treatment appliance 100 mayfurther include a pump mount arrangement 234 that couples the pumpassembly 122 to the appliance housing 101. The pump mount arrangement234 may include a pump bracket 236 and a plurality of groupings ofisolators 238, 240 arranged in different planes (e.g., orthogonalplanes) to suppress vibrations of the pump assembly 122 in multipledirections. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the pump bracket 236 maybe L-shaped and a first grouping of isolators 238 may couple a verticalleg of the bracket 236 to the appliance housing 101 with respective axesof the isolators 238 aligned generally normal to a front face of theappliance 100. A second grouping of isolators 240 may couple ahorizontal leg of the bracket 236 to the appliance housing 101 withrespective axes of the isolators 240 aligned generally parallel to afront face of the appliance 100. Collectively, the groupings ofisolators 238, 240 may suppress vibrations of the pump assembly 122 inmultiple directions, such as in orthogonal directions. This may suppressvibrations otherwise associated with the pump assembly 122 and allow theappliance 100 to run quieter.

As can be appreciated in FIG. 10, the pump bracket 236 may suspend thepump assembly 122 within a pump cavity 242 located at a lower end of theappliance housing 101, which is collectively defined by the base 202 andthe cover 204. Advantageously, a sound deadening or muffling device 244may be positioned within the pump cavity to substantially fill a voidbetween the pump assembly 122 and the appliance housing 101, as shown inFIG. 3. The sound deadening or muffling device 244 may comprise acompliant material that is formed in a shape that corresponds to thevoid between the pump assembly 122 and the appliance housing 101 suchthat there is substantially no empty space in the vicinity of the pumpassembly 122. This may further dampen or suppress vibrations from thepump assembly 122 and muffle any sounds emanating from the pump assembly122.

As shown in FIG. 4, the receptacle 142 of the cartridge 102 may includeone or more indentations 143 formed in a side thereof which may provideadditional rigidity to the receptacle 142 as well as provide indexingfeatures for installing the cartridge 102 in the appliance housing 101in the proper position. As such, the base 202 of the appliance housing101 may include one or more corresponding alignment projections 246, asshown in FIG. 10, which are configured to nest with the indentations 143of the receptacle 142 of the cartridge 102 to assist in receiving thecartridge 102 within the appliance housing 101.

With reference to FIG. 10, the air treatment appliance 100 may include asupplemental power source 248, such as a disc battery, and may include acaddy 250 for the supplemental power source 248. The caddy 250 may beremovably coupleable to the appliance housing 101 to position thesupplemental power source 248 within the appliance housing 101 andenable replacement of the power source 248 (e.g., battery) as needed.The caddy 250 may include a body 252 shaped to accommodate the powersource 248 and may include finger grips 254 projecting from an endthereof for assisting in the removal of the supplemental power source248 from a corresponding cavity 256 of the appliance housing 101 andinstallation of a replacement power source. The finger grips 254 may beresilient and/or flexible and may include a latch element 258 forsecuring the caddy 250 to the appliance housing 101 when installed.

With reference to FIG. 9, the back 203 of the appliance housing 101 mayinclude an arrangement of mounting apertures 260 a, 260 b for securingthe appliance housing 101 to a wall 108, as shown in FIG. 1, oralternatively to an appliance stand 110 for resting the appliance 100 ona table 112 or other structure, as shown in FIG. 2. Advantageously, wheninstalling the appliance 100 to a wall, the power adapter unit 230 maybe secured to a power outlet and the appliance housing 101 may be hungfrom some of the mounting apertures 260 a including keyhole slots on thewall 108 in a position to conceal the power adapter unit 230 within thepower adapter cavity 232. The appliance 100 may then be further securedto the wall from an interior of the appliance 100 using fastenersthrough the remaining mounting apertures 260 b. The appliance 100 maythen be programmed and locked to prevent access to the mountingfasteners and removal of the appliance 100 and/or other tampering.

With reference to FIG. 3, upper and lower edges of the back 203 and aperipheral edge of each of the opposing sides 205 of the base 202 of theappliance housing 101 may include a plurality of indentations 262 toreceive corresponding projections 264 provided along a periphery of thecover 204 to join the base 202 and the cover 204 together withoutseparate fasteners. The base 202 and the cover 204 may snap together ina friction fit, interference fit or snap fit. When assembled, the cover204 may be locked to the base 202 to prevent unintended access to theinterior of the appliance 100. For this purpose, the appliance housing101 may further include a lock assembly 266 coupled to the cover 204 forlocking the cover 204 directly to one or more catch members 267 formedintegrally with the base 202 of the appliance housing 101. The lockassembly 266 and in particular the keyhole face of the lock assembly 266may be concealed by a separate sub-cover 268 (FIG. 12) which mayremovably secured to the cover 204 via an arrangement of integralcoupling members 269 (e.g., detents, snaps, clips, etc.), and a flexiblelanyard 270 which may secured to a corresponding aperture 271 in thecover 204.

With reference to FIG. 11, the lock assembly 266 may comprise arotatable latch 272 that is secured to a shaft 274 of the lock assemblyby a retainer 276. The retainer 276 may include a body 278 thatresembles a conventional snap ring, circlip or other split retainingring but which further includes an upstanding tab 280 projecting fromthe body 278 to assist in installation and removal of the retainer 276.The upstanding tab 280 may project from the body 278 at a peripheraledge opposite a split or gap 279 in the ring structure.

With reference back to FIG. 3, when the cover 204 is unlocked andremoved from the base 202, such as, for example, when installing orservicing the appliance 100, the cover 204 may remain attached to thebase 202 via a lanyard 282 that is secured at opposing ends to lanyardmounts 284, 286 formed integrally with the cover 204 and the base 202.In this manner, the risk of misplacing and/or inadvertently damaging thecover 204 during maintenance or otherwise may be minimized oreliminated.

Further details of the air treatment appliance 100 and componentsthereof will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the relevantart upon a review of the exploded view of the air treatment appliance100 shown in FIG. 12.

In the present disclosure, the outlet 132 of the cartridge 102 and henceof the appliance 100 permit atomized liquid generated within thecartridge 102 to flow directly into a space to be treated. However, theappliance 100 could alternatively direct diffused or aerosolizedcompound into an air transport or distribution system instead. The airtransport system might include ductwork or other avenues that wouldpermit the diffused or aerosolized compound to be dispersed into aremotely located space or a plurality of remotely located spaces. Thus,the appliance 100 could be used to diffuse and disperse liquidthroughout an entire building, for example, through an existing HVACsystem.

It may also be noted that the air treatment appliances 100, removablecartridges 102 and components disclosed herein may include operationalcontrol via controller 130 for varying the pressure, velocity and/ortiming of operation of the onboard pump assembly 122 to provide air flowthrough the cartridge 102. In addition to using the controller 130 toalter the amount of liquid diffused or aerosolized by the appliance 100and the corresponding degree of treatment of a space, thecharacteristics of the liquid to be diffused may also affect the amountof liquid diffused and the degree of treatment. For example, moreviscous liquids may diffuse more slowly. The density of the liquid mayalso affect the degree of treatment provided. These characteristics ofthe liquid 120 in the cartridge 102 may also be taken into account whensetting controls regarding the function and operation of the appliances100 into which the cartridges 102 are received.

Again, although certain specific details are set forth in order toprovide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments, oneskilled in the relevant art will recognize that embodiments may bepracticed without one or more of these specific details

Moreover, aspects and features of the various embodiments describedabove can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S.patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications,foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publicationsreferred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application DataSheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspectsof the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ features,structures, functionality or concepts of the various patents,applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of theabove-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, theterms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specificembodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should beconstrued to include all possible embodiments along with the full scopeof equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, theclaims are not limited by the disclosure.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A cartridge assembly for an air treatmentappliance, the cartridge assembly comprising: a receptacle containing aliquid compound to be aerosolized within an interior thereof; and a capassembly coupled to the receptacle, the cap assembly including a cap, aventuri insert, and a base attached together without welds or separatefasteners to define an air inlet chamber on one side of the venturiinsert, a venturi outlet passage on the other side of the venturi insertin fluid communication with the interior of the receptacle, and anaerosol outlet chamber partitioned from the interior of the receptacleby the base and in fluid communication with an outlet of the cap throughwhich aerosolized compound generated by the venturi insert is dischargedduring operation, and wherein the cap includes a plurality of columnarprojections and the base includes a corresponding plurality of aperturesto mate with the columnar projections of the cap to attach the base tothe cap and secure the venturi insert therebetween.
 2. The cartridgeassembly of claim 1 wherein each columnar projection comprises apolygonal shaped cross-section and tapers with increasing distance awayfrom a proximal end of the columnar projection.
 3. The cartridgeassembly of claim 2 wherein the base at each corresponding aperturecomprises a cylindrical profile that interfaces with each respectivecolumnar projection at a plurality of discrete areas of contact tosecurely attach the base to the cap.
 4. The cartridge assembly of claim3 wherein the base includes a perimeter having at least a portion thatis correspondingly shaped to an interior profile of the cap such that atleast a portion of a peripheral edge of the base assists in holding thebase in position within the cap via a friction or interference fit. 5.The cartridge assembly of claim 4 wherein the base is wedged in the capto prevent separation of the base from the cap and to maintain theventuri insert in position between the cap and the base.
 6. Thecartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein a mouth of the receptacle preventsthe base from separating from the cap.
 7. The cartridge assembly ofclaim 1 wherein the cap is fixedly coupled to the receptacle to preventnon-destructive disassembly of the cartridge.
 8. The cartridge assemblyof claim 1 wherein the cap includes a seal integrally formed therewithand is fixedly coupled to the receptacle with the seal engaging a mouthof the receptacle.
 9. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein the baseincludes a chimney to allow the aerosolized compound to move from theinterior of the receptacle to the aerosol outlet chamber and a drainaperture to allow a condensed portion of the aerosolized compound todrain out of the cap through the base into the receptacle to beaerosolized again.
 10. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein thebase mates with the cap to define a circumferential ledge whichunderlies a peripheral edge region of the venturi insert.
 11. Thecartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein the cap includes a plurality ofoutlet nozzles for discharging the aerosolized compound from one or moreof multiple outlets.
 12. The cartridge assembly of claim 11 wherein atleast one of the plurality of outlet nozzles includes a barrierintegrally formed in the cap which isolates an outlet passage of theoutlet nozzle from the aerosol outlet chamber until removed.
 13. Thecartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein the cap includes an internalpartition defining a venturi receptacle that is sized and shaped toinsertably receive the venturi insert.
 14. The cartridge assembly ofclaim 13 wherein the internal partition also defines at least a portionof the air inlet chamber and at least a portion of the aerosol outletchamber.
 15. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein the venturiinsert includes a conduit that extends through the base and into thereceptacle for withdrawing the liquid compound from the receptacle to beaerosolized by the venturi insert.
 16. A cartridge assembly for an airtreatment appliance, the cartridge assembly comprising: a receptaclecontaining a liquid compound to be aerosolized within an interiorthereof; a cap assembly coupled to the receptacle, the cap assemblyincluding a cap, a venturi insert, and a base attached together withoutwelds or separate fasteners to define an air inlet chamber on one sideof the venturi insert, a venturi outlet passage on the other side of theventuri insert in fluid communication with the interior of thereceptacle, and an aerosol outlet chamber partitioned from the interiorof the receptacle by the base and in fluid communication with an outletof the cap through which aerosolized compound generated by the venturiinsert is discharged during operation; and an air conduit locked to thecap via a lock feature formed integrally in the cap.
 17. A cap assemblyof an aerosol generating cartridge of an air treatment appliance, thecap assembly comprising: a cap having an air inlet, an aerosolizedcompound outlet, and a plurality of columnar projections; a venturiinsert including a venturi body configured to generate aerosolizedcompound from a liquid compound and a conduit coupled to and extendingfrom the venturi body for withdrawing the liquid compound from areceptacle to be aerosolized; and a base having a correspondingplurality of apertures to mate with the columnar projections of the capto attach the base to the cap and secure the venturi inserttherebetween, and wherein the cap, the venturi insert, and the base areattached together without welds or separate fasteners to define an airinlet chamber on one side of the venturi body, a venturi outlet passageon the other side of the venturi body, and an aerosol outlet chamberisolated from the air inlet chamber at least in part by the venturi bodyand being in fluid communication with the aerosolized compound outlet ofthe cap through which aerosolized compound generated by the venturi bodyis discharged during operation.
 18. The cap assembly of claim 17 whereinthe cap includes an annular seal integrally formed therewith forengaging a mouth of the receptacle.
 19. The cap assembly of claim 17wherein the cap includes a peripheral interface configured to fixedlyengage a mouth of the receptacle to form the aerosol generatingcartridge and prevent non-destructive disassembly of the cartridge.